In many medical procedures, a delivery system is used to place a medical device, such as a prosthetic heart valve, in a patient. Often a prosthetic heart valve is disposed on a delivery system in order to be placed in a patient. One type of delivery system is a catheter, which can deliver the prosthetic heart valve via a transfemoral procedure. As part of this procedure the prosthetic heart valve must be positioned in the patient. Visualization techniques such as fluoroscopy may be used to locate the native heart valve components and align the prosthetic heart valve in the patient, but can require substantial contrast medium exposure to the patient, increased risk, and can be difficult.
Further, some current prosthetic heart valves employ projections or arms to aid in retention of the prosthetic heart valve. However, these control, engagement, or support arms increase the profile of the prosthetic heart valve making the overall profile of the prosthetic heart valve and delivery system larger. Other current prosthetic heart valves are not configured to include control arms and physicians are unable to utilize the benefits of these control arms in procedures involving such prosthetic heart valves.